She picks up the bowl and peers in. “I’m guessing we’ve got about two pancakes left in here and then we can dish up.” She smiles with cheer. Pancakes are one of her favorites, both to make and to eat.
“Hurry up! I finished my run forty-five minutes ago. I’m dying here, and my recovery window is closing.”
“Here,” she thrusts the bag of blueberries into my hand. “Have a snack.”
I snicker as I grab a handful and then lean on the counter, popping them into my mouth one by one.
“I have something to tell you,” I finally announce. “I’ve been trying to wait until we sit down to eat, but at the rate you’re going, we aren’t going to eat in this millennium.”
“You’re so impatient!” She swats me with the spatula.
“Let me tell you what I have to say, and you’ll understand why.” I smirk and add, “I know how much you love your gossip.”
“Well, geez, should I pull up a chair or something?”
“That’s sort of what I’ve been waiting for, but it’s fine. You don’t need the chair.”
“This better be good,” she exclaims, excitement filling her face.
“Now I’m nervous. I don’t think I can talk about it.” I begin to retract.
She swats me with the spatula harder this time. “Emma O’Dougherty! Tell me what you have to say right now, or I will kill you. I’m armed!” She wields the spatula, a smug look on her face.
I laugh at her so hard my side begins to hurt, which only makes her grow more impatient with me. “Emma! Now. You’ve taken so long the pancakes are finished anyway.”
I wipe a tear from the corner of my eye. “Oh,good! Perfect timing,” I singsong as I pull four warm pancakes off the stack and put them on my plate with a small puddle of syrup for dipping. It may not be as visually appealing, but the syrup-to-pancake ratio is so much better this way.
We sit down next to each other at the kitchen island. I take a bite, contemplating where to start. I’ve attempted to practice this conversation with her several times this morning on my eight-mile run, but none of the words seemed right.
I open my mouth, thinking I know where to start now, and end up word vomiting instead. “I couldn’t sleep last night, so I texted Andrew. I would’ve texted you because, you know, I love your company, but I knew you wouldn’t be awake, nor should I be disturbing you while you’re sleeping, so he was my next option.”
She nods. “Get to the point.”
“Anyway, I texted Andrew, and he said he was awake, so he asked me to come out onto the back lawn with him for a bit. We stayed out there for hours just talking and looking at the stars until we both fell asleep. When we woke up this morning, I felt like he was looking at me differently. I could tell from his face that something was going on, and I am pretty sure he leaned in for a kiss, but we got interrupted because he was supposed to go to the gym with Brendan this morning. Andrew wasn’t answering his texts, so Brendan called right as he was leaning in. But he did say last night was amazing, and he had this super sexy look on his face as he said, ‘to be continued,’ which makes me think he wanted to kiss. Maybe we finally will.”
I take a deep breath and note Rebecca’s reaction. She’s beaming, but then her face turns serious. “I can’t believe you waited this long to tell me! What’s wrong with you? Am I not your best friend?”
I reach out to pat her arm. “Of course you’re my best friend. You’re the first person to hear about this and will probably bethe only person to hear about this if it makes you feel any better.”
She purses her lips, but it slips into a smile. “I suppose it does a bit.” She sets her fork down and turns toward me. “Now, you know I’m the most supportive person of anyone as far as a relationship between you and Andrew goes, but may I just ask that you never, ever again call my brother sexy in front of me?” She cringes.
I burst into laughter. “I can work on that.”
“No working on it. Just doing it,” she insists before picking her fork up and devouring several more bites of pancake.
“What do you think this means?” I prod. “You know Andrew better than anyone. Do you think I’m reading things right?”
She nods as she finishes chewing. “Oh, my sweet, innocent Emma, I know you’re not the most experienced when it comes to guys and relationships, but I’ve been trying to tell you for two years now that Andy is in love with you! You guys are totally going to get together and then you’re going to get married and have beautiful babies. Oh, I can’t wait to be an aunt!”
I hold up my palms. “Let’s not get carried away here. I think you missed the part where we didn’t even kiss.”
She interjects immediately. “Yeah, but you said you were about to! It’s going to happen. Tonight. Mark my words, Emma! Oh, I can’t wait!”
Anticipation fills my stomach. I know Rebecca can be overzealous. She just cares so much. Her heart is so big and full of love. But even with her overexcitement, I can’t help but believe that what she says is true. Andrew and I might kiss tonight. We can finally get together. It’s taken us years and years, but it’s finally going to happen. I canfeelit.
CHAPTER 29
Summer 19
